31_days | [May 26] [Leverage] [The Deep-Fried Twinkies Job]

Title: The Deep-Fried Twinkies Job
Day/Theme: May 26; the beauty queen has lost her crown again
Series: Leverage
Character/Pairing: the team
Rating: G

It was one of those cons which quickly went sideways. To be fair that was the grand majority of schemes Leverage Inc. had pulled. Hardison would never understand how swiftly pulling a simple con on a crooked chemical plant owner had morphed into stealing a county fair. At this point he wasn't sure if they were on plan M or plan R as he watched high school girls walk across the stage in the Miss Greene County pageant. Sophie had infiltrated the event as a judge because while their grifter could convincingly play almost any part, one role she'd never be able to play again (in person at least) was that of a seventeen year old girl. Chewing on his turkey leg he checked in with Elliot at the livestock booths.

"I don't get what the big deal is."

You would think by now Hardison would be used to it and not jump when Parker's voice came not only across the coms but also from right behind him.

"They aren't even real." Parker continued frowning at the rhinestones.

Hardison reached over his elephant ear to grab a swig of orange soda. Before he could try to explain to Parker the significance of a contest which honestly always puzzled him, Nate's voice came over the coms. "Parker put that back. Sophie can't crown a Miss Greene County without a crown." Nate must have used his superior mastermind powers to determine exactly what Parker had stolen, well that or the fact that he'd met Parker before. "Sophie you need to stall."

"I'll explain it to you later," Sophie said quietly over the coms before turning and treating the audience to a fictional reminiscence of her own days as a fair Queen.

Parker scowled but obediently took off back across the fairgrounds for the beauty pageant. Hardison half listened to Sophie's speech while he helped Nate rig a butter sculpture contest.